What Would You Like to Ask or Say to the New VA Secretary Doug Collins?

22 a day fix that problem themselves.

I've waited since Feb of this year to get in to see an orthopedic doctor. Why does even Community Care take so long??? Maybe if the VA fully staffed again, wait times would go down.

So far, my local VA (Dole VA hospital in Wichita) has not given me any problems. I have several health issues, kidney, liver, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, hearing aids, and Desert Storm burn pit issues. My CPAP and hearing aid supplies come from Denver, most of my refills are mailed from Wichita or Leavenworth VA. I have litle wait time for regular appointments and have used their ER services once, with less than five minutes wait time. During my annual eye exam they ordered my two new pair of prescription eyewear, one regular and one sunglasses, because I asked if I could also have sunglasses. The only drawback I have had is on the rare occasions when I have to have an RX filled that day, it takes several hours to get the RX filled in person.

Sir, I would have him watch the documentary The Hidden Enemy Psychiatry's Covert Agenda on treating PTSD, It would definitely open his eyes to the issue of Polypharmacy when it comes to treating service members who suffer from PTSD. Sir did you ever watch this documentary which contributes to the 22 a day?

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney -
And Some Of You Are Probably Thinking " He Lives In Vegas & Expects
To Get Items From Dayton VA? He's NUTS"..... Now For the Story, And I'd
STRONGLY Suggest, It Be Copied & Pasted To Your Permanent Files. ~
~~~ Took me YEARS Toi Run Across It~~~
SENT: 11/25/2023 9:52:08 PM Pacific Standard Time
SUBJECT: Is A Military Veteran Entitled To Care And Supplies, Through ANY Va Facility, Regardless Of Where He Resides?
~~~~~~ My Question To Benefts.Gov ~~~~ ACCIDENTLY Ran Across Them ~~
"Is A Military Veteran Entitled To Care And Supplies,
Through ANY VA Facility, Regardless Of Where He Resides"?
YES, a military veteran can receive medical products from out-of-state VA facilities, even if they are not living there? The Rest is About Special Conditions, Like Living Overseas. , Etc
BUT Keep ALL Of This Info And Read It. "Just In Case":
However, the veteran must be eligible for VA care without needing to enroll or be enrolled in VA health care 1. The eligibility for community care is dependent upon a veteran’s individual health care needs or circumstances 1. In most cases, veterans must receive approval from VA prior to obtaining care from a community provider 1. VA staff members generally make all eligibility determinations 1. Please note that VA is not authorized to ship medications or medical/surgical supply items outside of the U.S. or its territories 2. If you’re a veteran who lives overseas, you remain entitled to the benefits and services you earned through your military service. Most VA benefits are payable regardless of your place of residence or nationality 3. If you’re moving outside the U.S., you’ll need to sign up for the Foreign Medical Program. Through this program, VA will pay for certain needed health care services received in foreign countries to treat a service-connected disability or a disability that’s making a service-connected condition worse 4.
I hope this helps!

Truth be told you could talk till you’re blue in the face he’s a salesman he’ll sell you a car with no tires.

SGT Lorenzo Nieto I’m pretty sure that A1C DeVaney wouldn’t have to say a thing to be blue in the face from just trying to breathe without the machine he needs to breathe!
/S

SGT Lorenzo Nieto -
I've Had Serious Issues With Our North Las Vegas VA, And I'm Serious
Since Mt Very FIRST APPOINTMENT Decades Ago. ~~ As For The Portable Oxygen Machine Fiasco? ~ And It's REALLY Been One ~ I Finally Purchased My Own On Monthly Payments... . It Should Be Here Any Day Now ~~ Decades Ahead Of The VA. But I WILL Continue Harrassing The VA For One, If For NO Other Reason Than: THOSE SOB'S Owe It To Me, Even If I Only Put It In The Closet And Use It For A Spare -- "Sumbetches."!!

As an MP Ft McClellan was the place we all started for over 40 years. I was 4th Platoon, D-11, Oct 82-March 83.
Seneca Army Depot is another ‘forgotten’ base. They poisoned us with PFOS/AS, as well as ionizing radiation daily. And who knows what else?

My humble opinion as both a vet and an RN trying to get on at the VA, downsizing wont increase wait times and will only give the retained employees more excuses to sit and do nothing. While I cannot stand for profit healthcare systems and insurance companies, the one thing they have the VA does not and that is performance related outcomes. Metrics do not have a play and vet satisfaction does not effect their bottom end. Work ethic largely does not exist at the VA and whether they have one person or 100 people, until that changes our care will not improve.

Seems to me just the opposite on metrics - the VA measures EVERYTHING. They do have both performance measures AND they poll Vet satisfaction at every clinic and hospital, all the time. I don't know an urgent care in my area that measures wait time, for example. We saw wait times go down nationally when long overdue hiring began in earnest back during the "crisis" a few years ago.

COL (Join to see) Huh? I get an occasional poll, that is all. Some are done by an organization the calculates “weighted” results. In other words, they cook the books. Most, probably all are done either by phone or mail. Those methods will tend to exclude patients with the greatest need , and lowest status. Keep in mind VA staff can see ratings and addresses. A combination if NSC and known shelter gets that patient treated like dirt - and usually uncontactable.

COL (Join to see) - Not all data research/measurements are accurate. Sharon Helman was the director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System when the wait list manipulation scandal occurred. She was accused of overseeing practices that involved maintaining secret wait lists to conceal prolonged appointment delays, leading to at least 40 veterans dying while awaiting care. Helman was sentenced to two years of probation for failing to disclose gifts from a lobbyist. She got probation, the veterans died.

Sharon Helman successfully appealed to keep her bonus. With her abysmal record she received a $9,080 bonus paid to Helman for performance for the previous year on a technicality.

In every institution or corporation, including the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system, employees operate across a spectrum of performance—some achieve excellence, while others range from competent to inadequate. Addressing underperformance requires proactive management committed to implementing corrective measures. Efficient wait times hinge on healthcare professionals’ ability to manage their schedules effectively, adhering to VA guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for healthcare delivery. Sustained improvement demands both individual accountability and robust leadership oversight.
SrA Cecelia Eareckson MAJ Byron Oyler

VA Hotline Customer Service Representative at
[login to see] .
Washington, D.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Asked At Benefits.Gov
"Is A Military Veteran Entitled To Care And Supplies,
Through ANY VA Facility, Regardless Of Where He Resides"?
~
And Here's Just Part Of Their Reply:
YES, a military veteran can receive medical products from out-of-state VA facilities, even if they are not living there.
If Anyone Would Prefer The Entire Documentation, ASK: [login to see]
And I'll Email The Entire Documentation ~ Because YOU Can Bet "YOUR VA Hasn't A Clue."

Due TO The VA Screw-Ups, I Lost ALL Of My Teeth,
BUT The VA Could NOT Be Of Further Assistance,
As It Wasn't Caused During My Military Service And Therefore
I Have NO COVERAGE Under My Current Benefits . (;--)>
LOL.. Ya No Sh*t - "Oh DUH"!

Thank you for the information
Do you think the VA will be improved in my lifetime? Age 74 is up there

SFC Jo Ann Klawitter - I am more optimistic with out new VA Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, and President Trump.

SPC Jeff Daley, PhD I am also optimistic, but do you think this would happen in our lifetime?